New research links energy drinks to anxiety in young men

Thursday, September 19, 2013

A new study from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
has uncovered a link between energy drink consumption in young men
and increased anxiety.

The study published online in Depression and Anxiety, (Official
Journal of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America),
examined the association between energy drink consumption and
mental health in young adults from the Western Australian Pregnancy
Cohort (Raine) Study.

The research showed that energy drink consumption was significantly
associated with anxiety in males and that this research supported
previous studies that identified energy drinks as being a potential
risk factor for mental health problems in young men.

Lead author Dr Georgina Trapp says the study used questionnaires
completed by 502 young adult males and 567 young adult females to
determine energy drink consumption at 20 years of age and compared
that to their levels of anxiety, stress and depression.

"Participants were asked to record how many cans of energy drink
they consumed a day and how often, for example every day or once a
week."

"We then used standard depression, anxiety and stress scales to
assess mental health based on their questionnaire responses and
this indicated that young adult males in particular showed a
concerning link between anxiety and the consumption of these high
caffeine energy drinks."

"Our research showed that drinking one 250ml can or more a day of
energy drinks is associated with increased anxiety and the
association got stronger as energy drink consumption increased."
says Dr Trapp. "

The study showed no such association in the female group and
researchers believe this may be related to a higher rate of energy
drink use amongst young men than young women.

Researchers say they don't know exactly why the link exists between
anxiety and energy drink consumption and that further research is
recommended, but there is some belief it could relate to the high
levels of caffeine in these drinks and the association between
caffeine and detrimental mental health effects such as anxiety
disorder and panic disorder.

"Other energy drink ingredients such as guarana and ginseng have
also been linked to anxiety, irritability, nervousness,
restlessness, tremors and mania." Dr Trapp said.

"However it is also possible that young males experiencing
anxiety may be using energy drinks to self-medicate for temporary
relief of distress, or for positive effects on attention and
performance."

This is the first study of its type examining the relationship
between energy drinks and anxiety in young men and the research
group advises that more extensive research be undertaken.

About the Raine
Study
The Raine Study is jointly conducted by the Telethon Institute for
Child Health Research and the University of Western Australia. The
study started in 1989, when 2900 pregnant women were recruited into
a research study at King Edward Memorial Hospital to examine
ultrasound imaging. The mothers were assessed during pregnancy and
health and lifestyle information was collected on the mother and
the father. After the children were born, they were assessed at
birth, at one year, then two, three and five years of age. Further
follow-ups of the cohort have been conducted at eight, ten, 14, 17,
20 and now 23 years of age. Find out more at
www.rainestudy.org.au